European champions PSG cruised into the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Inter Miami on Sunday, in a match that pitted Lionel Messi against his former club.
Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves scored twice as Luis Enrique’s side demonstrated their superiority over the Major League Soccer team from the outset.
Neves opened the scoring in the sixth minute, heading in a free-kick from his compatriot Vitinha from close range. He added his second goal in the 39th minute, finishing off a slick passing move involving Bradley Barcola and Fabian Ruiz to give PSG a 2-0 lead.
The French champions extended their advantage before halftime. A cross from Desire Doue was turned into his own net by Inter Miami defender Tomas Aviles, and Achraf Hakimi slammed home a fourth in first-half stoppage time after his initial effort had cannoned back off the crossbar.
After a dominant first-half display, PSG eased their tempo in the second period, comfortably seeing out the match and containing Messi, who had two shots on target but was unable to inspire a comeback. The victory was further boosted by the second-half return of top scorer Ousmane Dembele, who had missed the group stage through injury.
The 20-year-old Neves, not known for his goalscoring, delivered a standout performance. The double continues a remarkable summer for the midfielder, who has already won the French league and cup, the UEFA Champions League with PSG, and the UEFA Nations League with Portugal.
Paris St-Germain will now face either Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
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